Draft gear



April 20, 1926. 1,581,631

W- H. COTTON DRAFT GEAR Filed May 25', 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 20, 1926.

W. H. COTTON DRAFT GEAR Patented Apr. 20, 1926 UNITED STATES" PATENT crates. 4

WALTER I-I. COTTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASS IGNOR TO UNION .DB'AET' GEAR 80.,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRAFT GEAR.

Application filed May 25, 1925; Serial No. 32,592.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, VVAL'rEn H. COTTON, a

citizen of the United States, and residentof Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have lnvented certain new and use ful Improvements in Draft Gears, of whichv the following is a specification, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming apart thereof.

The invention relates to draft gears of the friction type, its objects being to secure simplicity and cheapness of construction, compactness and high efiiciency, and it con sists of a' structure as hereinafter described and as illustrated in. the accompanying draw ings, in which- F' g. 1 is a plan section of the gear itPPllGtY to a railway car;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, associated parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of one of the end wedge blocks;

Fig. & is a' view similar to Fig. 1, but taken on the line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 5'5 of Fig. 4;;

Fig.6 is a detail in perspective of the central wedge block; and

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of one of the spring plates embodied in the gear.

The improved gear is shown inFigs. 1 and 1 as mounted between a'pair of center or draft sills 10 of a railway car,which sills are provided with the usual draft lugs 11-11 and builing lugs 12-12; There is also shown the rear end of a drawbar 13 and ayokc or drawbar extension 1 1. These parts are all of ordinary and preferred construction.

The gear comprises a pair of followers 15, 16 of the plate form and adapted to cooperate respectively with the draft and buffing lugs. The shock absorbing elements of the gear are enclosed within a rectangular shell or casing 17 which is open at both ends and of such length as to limit the compression of the gear within its operative range.

A pair of plates 18, 19 of the same length as the casing and of such width as to fit loosely between its top. and bottom walls are disposed one upon either side of'the longitudinal median line of the gear, and between these plates and the side walls of the casing 17aro interposed two pairs of helical springs 20, 21.

Seated against the followers 15, 16 are a pair ofblocks 22, 23, their innerfaces being. inclined to form wedging surfaces. These blocks are channeledacross their upper'and lower faces as shown at 2 1, 25 to slidingly engage longitudinal ribs 26, 27 formed along the inner faces'of the upper and lowerwalls of the casing 17.

Interposedbetween the blocks 22, 23 and between the plates 18, 19 are a series of equilateral triangular wedge blocks, here'shown as five in number'and designated respective ]y as 28, 29, 30, 31 and32. Thecentral block 30 is Verticallychanneled in its outer face as shown at 33 to engage a rib 34 formed on the inner face of one'of the spring plates as 18, for the purpose of holdingthe block against longitudinal inovement with reference to the plate. The remainder of the wedge blocks lit loosely between theribs 26', 27 and are held in place by the remainder'of the wedging' elements and the spring plates; V

The plates '18, 19' are transversely channeled across their upper and lower edges and midway between their ends as shown at 35, 36 to engage transverse ribs 37, 38*formed onthe inner faces "of the top and bottom walls oi the casing 17, thereby permitting the spring plates to move laterally with ref erence to the center line of the gear, but preventing them from longitudinal displace ment. I

For convenience of assembly the ribs 37,

38'terminate a short distance from the ribs" 26, 27. Also for the purpose of assistingin theassembly of the. gear elements the side walls of the casing may be perforated as-incheated in dotted lines at 39, 4.0, these apertures being preferably on the axes of the several springs; and the, spring plates 18, 19

are provided with threaded apertures 11, 42,

heir the gear is iirtherelease position the various parts assume the relations as indicated in Fig. 1; when it is under full compression of buff the parts: assume the relations indicated in Fig. 4. 3

As the gear is compressed either in draft or buff one of the blocks 22, 23 is carried forwardly by the advancing follower coinpressing the several triangular wedge blocks against each other and against the opposite end block. The triangular blocks are wedged outwardly against the plates 18, 19 and against the resistance of'the various springs; The loosely contained blocks are also caused to slide longitudinally upon ,the spring plates. The central or relatively fixed block 33 carries with it, longitudinally the plate 18, this plate communicating similar motion to the casing 17. stress is not applied centrally to the casing any tendency of the latter to tilt is prevented by the frictional engagement of the opposed triangular blocks upon the spring plate 19 which is thereby urged forwardly and communicates its movement to the casing by reason of its engagement with the ribs thereon. This tilting tendency is also resisted by the flat face engagement of the end wedge blocks with the followers.

Upon the cessation of the compressing stresses the gear is caused to recoil, restoring the parts to the positions shown in Fig. 1 by the action of the springs, and the wedging action of the inner blocks upon each other and upon the end blocks.

' While the preferred form of construction,

is disclosed, various changes may be made within the scope of the invention. As all parts whlch are sub ectedto heavy pressure are under compression they may be made of hard wear-resisting metal.

I claim as my invention:

1. A draft gear comprising a pair of opposed followers, a group of cooperating wedge blocks locatedon the center line of the gear, their mutual wedging action tending to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed between each follower and the adjacent end block of the group, and spring means for resisting the wedge action.

2. A draft gear comprising a pair of opposed followers, a group of cooperating wedge blocks located on the center line of the gear, their mutual wedging action tend ing to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed between each follower and the adjacent end block of the group, a shell enclosing the group of blocks, and springs reacting against the side walls of the shell for opposing the lateral movement of the blocks.

3. A draft gear comprising a pair of opposed followers, a group of cooperating ,wedge blocks located on the center line of the gear, their mutual wedging action tend- /Vhile this longitudinal ing to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed bet-ween each follower and the adjacent end block of the group, a pair of plates engaging the outer faces of the blocks, a shell enclosing the blocks and plates, and springs reacting between the plates and the side walls of the shell.

4. A draft gear comprising a pair of opposed followers, a group of cooperating wedge blockslocated on the center line of the gear, their mutual wedging action tending to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed between each follower and the adjacent end block of the group, a pair of plates engaging the outer faces of the blocks, a shell enclosing the blocks and plates, and springs reacting between the plates and the side walls of the shell, the plates interlocking with the shell against relative longitudinal movement. 1

5. A draft gear comprising a pair of opposed followers, a group of cooperating wedge blocks located on the center line of the gear, their mutual wedging action tending to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed between each follower and the adjacent end block of the group, a pair of plates engaging the outer faces of the blocks, a shell enclosing the blocks and plates, springs reacting between the plates and the side walls of the shell, the plates interlocking with the shell against relative longitudinal movement, and one of the blocks being interlocked with one of the plates to prevent relative sliding movement thereon.

6. A draft gear comprising a pair'of opposed followers, a group of cooperating wedge blocks located on the center line of the gear, their mutual wedging action tending to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed between each follower and the adjacent end block of the group, a pair of plates engaging the outer faces of the blocks, a shell enclosing the blocks and plates, springs reacting between the plates and the side walls of the shell, the plates interlocking with the shell against relative longitudinal movement, and the middle block of the group being interlocked with one of the plates to prevent relative sliding movement thereon.

7 A draft gear comprising a pair of opposed followers, a group of cooperating wedge blocks located on the center line of the gear, their mutual wedging action tending to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed between each follower and the adjacent end block of this group, an open ended shell enclos ing the group of blocks, and springs reacting against the side walls of the shell for opposing the lateral movement'of the blocks.

8. In a draft gear, in combination, a pair of opposed followers, an open ended shell located between the followers and being shorter than the normal distance therebetween, a Wedge block seated against each follower and projecting into the casing and being interlocked therewith against lateral movement, a group of triangular wedge blocks arranged in the center line of the cas ing and being interposed between the two first named blocks, friction plates bearing against the outer faces of the triangular blocks, one of the plates being interlocked with the middle block of the group against relative longitudinal movement, and both plates being similarly interlockedwith the shell, and springs reacting between the side walls of the shell and the plates.

9. A draft gear comprising a pair of opposed followers, a group of cooperating wedge blocks arranged in a line longitudinal as tothe gear, their mutual wedging action tending to force the individual blocks laterally outward, wedge means interposed between each follower and the adjacent end block of the group, and spring means for resisting the wedge action.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

l/VALTER H. COTTON. 

